1. Technical Field
The inventive arrangements relate generally to video recording systems and more particularly to video recording systems that record digitally encoded video sequences onto storage media such as recordable optical storage media, hard drives and magneto optical discs.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, several types of technology are available for individuals to record segments of audio, video or a combination thereof. As an example, many individuals use optical storage media technology such as digital video discs (DVD) or compact discs (CD) to record such segments. Notably, both CD""s and DVD""s are capable of receiving and storing audio as well as video. Further, recordable CD""s such as CD-ROM""s and CD-RW""s can receive and store multimedia data recorded under a DVD format. Significantly, however, multimedia data that is recorded under a DVD format and stored on a recordable CD cannot be played back on a DVD player or DVD recorder because they currently cannot recognize DVD formatted data on anything but a DVD disc. Thus, consumers who wish to record a program or an event under the DVD format must record this data on a recordable DVD disc using a DVD recorder if they wish to play the data on a DVD player or DVD recorder.
Unfortunately, there are several economic drawbacks to the current limited approach. For instance, although available to consumers, DVD recorders are still relatively expensive, with some models costing thousands of dollars. Moreover, even if a consumer can afford a DVD recorder, the current price of a recordable DVD is significantly higher than the price of a recordable CD. Thus, a need exists for a method of permitting data recorded onto a recordable CD under a DVD format to be played on a DVD player and/or a DVD recorder without substantially increasing costs or the complexity of current DVD players and recorders.
The present invention concerns a method of playing data in a digital video disc (DVD) apparatus in which the data could be recorded onto a non-DVD optical storage medium in a DVD format. The method includes the steps of: determining the physical type of the non-DVD optical storage medium; reading a file structure contained on the non-DVD optical storage medium; and launching a DVD video playback driver if the file structure on the non-DVD optical storage medium is a DVD file structure. In one arrangement, the determining step can include the step of determining the physical type of the non-DVD optical storage medium by checking a focal length. This focal length can be defined by a laser and a reflective surface of the non-DVD optical storage medium.
In another arrangement, the launching step can further include the step of launching an audio playback driver if the file structure on the non-DVD optical storage medium is a CD file structure. Also, the DVD apparatus can be a DVD player or a DVD recorder.
The invention also concerns a method of permitting data recorded onto an optical storage medium under a digital video disc (DVD) format to be played in a DVD apparatus. The method includes the steps of: determining the physical type of the optical storage medium; reading a file structure contained on the optical storage medium; and launching a DVD video playback driver if the optical storage medium is a compact disc (CD) and the file structure on the optical storage medium is a DVD file structure. According to this method, the determining step can include the step of determining the physical type of the optical storage medium by checking a focal length.
In one arrangement, the launching step can include the step of launching a CD audio playback driver if the file structure on the optical storage medium is a CD file structure. Alternatively, the launching step can further include the step of launching a DVD video playback driver if the optical storage medium is a video DVD. In this method, the DVD apparatus can be a DVD player or a DVD recorder.
The present invention also concerns a digital video disc (DVD) apparatus capable of playing data recorded on a non-DVD optical storage medium in a DVD format. The DVD apparatus includes: a pickup assembly for determining the physical type of the non-DVD optical storage medium; a processor coupled to the DVD playback unit, programmed to: read a file structure contained on the non-DVD optical storage medium; and launch a DVD video playback driver if the non-DVD optical storage medium is a recognizable non-DVD optical storage medium and the file structure on the optical storage medium is a DVD file structure. In one arrangement, the recognizable non-DVD optical storage medium can be a compact disc (CD).
The invention also concerns a digital video disc (DVD) apparatus capable of playing data recorded in any of a plurality of digital formats from an optical storage medium. The DVD apparatus includes: a pickup assembly for determining the physical type of the optical storage medium; a processor coupled to the DVD player, programmed to: read a file structure contained on the optical storage medium; and selectively launch a playback driver among a plurality of playback drivers selected from the group of drivers including: a DVD video playback driver, a DVD audio playback driver, or a compact disc (CD) playback driver in which the DVD video playback driver can be launched if the optical storage medium is a CD and the file structure on the optical storage medium is a DVD file structure.
In one embodiment, the processor can be further programmed to selectively launch the CD playback driver if the optical storage medium is a DVD, and the file structure on the optical storage medium is a CD file structure. In addition, the processor can be further programmed to selectively launch the DVD audio playback driver if the optical storage medium is a DVD, and the file structure on the optical storage medium is a DVD audio file structure. Moreover, the processor can be further programmed to selectively launch the DVD video playback driver if the optical storage medium is a DVD, and the file structure on the storage medium is a DVD video file structure.